- Go get 'em a nice candy bar, mom and dad, just before
they swim, so they'll have some "quick energy" just before
they dive in. Or, bring in some nice fresh Crispy Cr�me
donuts just after the warm-up and before the big meet.
That'll give them a lift and cheer them up. Psych them up.
Yeah. Good. Ugh.
Well, for those who don't know, Sugar is the Great Satan of physical performance. It creates an immediate "sugar high" in the bloodstream and then immediately thereafter, a HUGE dip in the blood sugar, so just about the time your child gets up to swim, they'll feel like they are wilting and just want to go lie down and rest. Not exactly "race ready". And don't try to figure out how to "time it" for the sugar high, either � it won't work, its not that predictable in timing�. except exertion will immediately trigger the sugar low. What instead? If they must eat between races and meals, have a bagel or non-sugar carbohydrate snack.
- Tell your early developed 15 year old, "But you were
SOOOOO good, when you were eight!"
Wow. Nothing heavier than a great potential, according to Charlie Brown. If you have an early developing child, stay away from past results comparisons. Just look at your own child's best times, and encourage improvement. And if the times aren't improving as they get older, and thankfully, they still enjoy swimming, just keep your mouth shut and be pleased that they enjoy the exercise and training. Great friends to be around, great role models. If you have trouble keeping your mouth shut, go look around at the mall to see whom your child COULD be hanging out with. It should inspire you to keep bringing them to the pool.
- Go to the side of the pool each time the child swims, to
"support them", with wild cheering, screaming, trembling and
generally demonstrating your emotional involvement in your
child's swim. The child will swim REEEAALLLY fast the first
time you do this, (which will encourage you to do it ALL the
time�) since all they want to do is get out of the water so
you'll stop embarrassing them. Then they'd prefer to NEVER
race again rather than see you like that.
Reality? Sit down. Smile. Cheer internally. When your child comes back, ask the child what they thought of their swim. Listen. Be quiet. Learn. Then cheer wildly for your child's best friend. That'll make your child happy, not embarrassed (and hope your child's friend's parent is cheering for YOUR child!).
- Spend your time in the car pool dissecting the workout
your child just did. You can dissect the work given
(critiquing the coach), or the child's performance
(critiquing the child) or best of all, OTHER people's
children's performance. The more critical you can be, the
more knowledgeable you will appear. The door you hear
slamming is your child leaving swimming.
What to do after you watch practice? Go Home. Feed your child. DO NOT TALK ABOUT PRACTICE UNLESS YOUR CHILD WANTS TO DO SO. This is all about letting the sport belong to the child and not to you. Critical.
- When your child has an improved swim, faster than ever
before, jump up and down, demonstrate your enthusiasm with
words like WONDERFUL! FANTASTIC! INCREDIBLE! UNBELIEVEABLE!
And generally behave as if you can't believe that a child
with your pitiful athletic genes could actually do something
worthwhile. This will ensure that your child will believe
that they have accomplished something akin to finding the
Holy Grail and will ensure that they cannot even REPEAT that
performance, much less improve on it, for another two years
when they finally forget your performance.
Reality? We all get excited when our child performs well in any way. Try your best to be restrained around your child. Making a big deal of a best time makes it seem like you are SURPRISED that they could do so. Like you lack confidence that they could actually do anything worthwhile. Instead, play it cool. Express your confidence that the wonderful thing you just saw is an everyday event for a child as dedicated, hardworking and talented as yours. In the words of the football coach trying to diminish the "celebration factor" - "ACT LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE END ZONE BEFORE." (And expect to be again.)